BEING A CHALLENGER IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY: ROMEO AND JULIET REVISITED

Producing his artistic works in a period marked by a patriarchal social structure, Shakespeare created vivid and controversial female characters that both reflected and subverted the image of women of his time in a great majority of his plays. Regardless of the genre, most women in his plays are often witty and admirably strong; sometimes unruly, disobedient, ambitious and occasionally naïve, submissive and conformist. Endowing his female characters with such multifaceted qualities, the playwright was seen as either a misogynist or proto-feminist due to the fact that he could portray women who were often incompatible with one another. After remembering the diverse representations of women in his various works and how his female characters, from submissive figures to strong, rebellious ones, embody both compliance with and resistance to societal expectations, the article posits that Shakespeare’s depictions of women, as both victims and assertive challengers, reflect his intricate understanding of gender dynamics, highlighting the resilience and intellect of his female characters amidst a rigidly patriarchal society. While not a feminist by contemporary standards, Shakespeare’s empathetic portrayals suggest a proto-feminist sensitivity through his female characters who challenge male authority in subtle but powerful ways. This study aims to revisit Shakespeare’s portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet to demonstrate that the playwright had a proto-feminist attitude and attempted to establish a balance between his time’s cultural codes and his humanist/individual self despite the patriarchal culture he belonged to.